Homeowners from several communities are wondering what’s next for them after their property manager was accused of stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from a homeowner’s association at another community where he worked.
NBC6 was first to report on the arrest of Michael Curtis of BDM Property Management earlier this month. The news sent shockwaves through communities where Curtis and BDM are still employed.
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WATCH HERE“So, when we finally heard about it, everybody was honestly happy,” said Shelisa Anderson, an owner at the Windmill Lakes community in Pembroke Pines, “Finally he's getting caught for the things that he's been doing.”
According to prosecutors, Curtis stole $439,000 from another community he used to manage in 2020. That money was from an insurance settlement that was supposed to pay for repairs at the Fairways of Sunrise after damage caused by Hurricane Irma. Instead, investigators say an unauthorized check was made to Curtis’ company BDM.
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Curtis has since bonded out of jail. But owners like Anderson wonder what the arrest means for Windmill Lakes and other communities where several owners have been fighting in court to remove him as property manager.
“Nothing has changed for any of the communities. All of us are still in court cases,” Anderson said. “We're all still doing recalls.”
Investigations
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On January 29, Anderson says owners received a letter from their board president telling them BDM would be leaving at the end of February, but there was a catch; the association would keep paying Curtis’ company.
The letter read in part: “We have settled with BDM... To avoid costly and lengthy litigation….” Adding they “have entered into a five-year payment plan.”
“We're angry. Everybody's angry,” Anderson said, “Everybody's upset.”
The letter also mentions a two-year “settlement” to keep paying “Private Parking Managers,” a towing company that, according to state records, is also run by Curtis.
When NBC6 reached out to the board president Melissa Mendez about the letter, we received an email which said in part: “I’m absolutely not interested in responding to this. Please don't contact me again.”
Later that night Stuart Zoberg, an attorney representing one section of Windmill Lakes also contacted NBC6 via email.
He stated the agreement mentioned in that letter will not be finalized, and “BDM remains the (property) manager” at least until there’s an election in that phase of the community, which is scheduled for March 12.
Then just last week, the state’s Department of Business and Professional Regulation issued an emergency order suspending Curtis’ license, saying he “… is a genuine public safety threat due to his readily apparent financial wrongdoing.”
The order specifically condemns the letter sent to Windmill Lakes owners, describing it as another effort to misappropriate residents’ money.
The state previously revoked Curtis and the company’s license in September for alleged violations at another community, a decision Curtis has appealed.
“It pretty much doesn't matter if he gets arrested or not. He's always finding a way to get himself around something to continue to make money and a lot of people in the community are scared,” Anderson said.
She said they’re also unclear about where their money is going.
Despite paying monthly maintenance fees, most common areas, like their pool and clubhouse have been locked up and shut down for years, according to a lawsuit filed by a group of owners.
These are the same types of problems owners at various properties managed by Curtis and BDM have complained about for years.
“We're only paying him directly,” Anderson said, “We're not paying for insurance. We're not paying for a pool.”
NBC6 Investigates learned Curtis’ mother, who also works with the company, applied for a new business license using the same address as BDM. That application is still in progress.
“They just find another way to go around the system to beat the system,” Anderson complained. “There are not enough laws right now for property management companies.”
The attorney for Windmill Lakes Phase III Stuart Zoberg said Curtis’ stepfather, another community association manager at BDM, will be assisting at that community now that Curtis’ license has been suspended.
An attorney for Curtis did not immediately respond to emails requesting comment on these complaints and his recent arrest.
Curtis is set to be arraigned in the criminal case on March 3.
